Stem Cells: Secure the Future of Your Health – With Your Teeth
Stem cells are the unspecialized cells in your body that divide and renew themselves. They can eventually develop into specialized cells that perform specific tasks or take on specific characteristics. Scientists and physicians currently use stem cells in several ways to replenish cells that died due to disease or injury. Some of these applications include:
- Regeneration of damaged tissues or organs
- Treatment of cancer, stroke, arthritis, Parkinson’s and other disease
- Providing a “scaffold” for dental implants
- Aid in the healing of broken bones
- Replacing burned or lacerated skin
In the past, most stem cells used in medicine have been derived either from embryos or bone marrow (adult stem cells). Extracting bone marrow from individuals is a time-consuming and painful procedure. Embryonic stem cells carry the risk of rejection by the recipient or contamination.
What are Dental Stem Cells?
In recent years, researchers have uncovered a unique source of stem cells—the pulp of our teeth. These dental stem cells (DSCs) hold immense potential for various therapeutic treatments. What sets them apart is that they are extracted from children and adults and used on the same individuals from whom they are harvested. This ensures a perfect match and eliminates the risk of rejection or contamination.
First, the stem cells are not rejected because they are extracted from the patient and are a guaranteed match. Second, there is no need to worry about contamination because the harvested stem cells are stored in a sterile environment until needed for the person they were harvested from. This process eliminates the need for a painful bone marrow extraction, reducing the chance of a secondary infection and improving patient outcomes.
How are DSCs Obtained?
The process of obtaining dental stem cells from adult teeth is straightforward and painless. They can be harvested during a routine dental extraction. Alternatively, you can save your children’s baby teeth as they naturally fall out and store the stem cells in a dental bank. The cells from baby teeth and wisdom teeth are particularly abundant and grow faster than those extracted later in life.
When a tooth is extracted or falls out, the dentist prepares it using materials provided by a dental stem cell bank and then ships it overnight to the cell bank or laboratory. The stem cells are then extracted and grown in a culture medium, generating millions of stem cells that are cryopreserved (frozen) until they are needed.
How Can Dental Stem Cells Protect My Health?
If you have stem cells cryopreserved at a dental cell bank, your doctor or dentist can retrieve them in the future to be used for the following procedures:
- Tissue regeneration
- Bone, tissue, and neural transplants
- Stimulating bone formation to preserve the jawbone and encourage dentin regeneration
- Promote faster wound healing
- Encourage recovery of broken bones
- Provide a stronger foundation for dental implants
- Repair cavities or fix a tooth damaged by periodontal disease
Should I Bank My Stem Cells Now?
While the use of dental stem cells is still in its early stages, the potential is vast. Many dentists are already utilizing stem cells in various applications, and more are on the horizon. By banking your dental stem cells now, you are taking a proactive step toward securing your future health. In the event of a serious illness, having a familial stem cell match
significantly increases the chances of a successful transplant.
Several dental stem cell banks in the United States cryogenically preserve stem cells from teeth. If you are interested in saving your family’s DSCs, take the time to explore your options. Please note that we do not endorse the following stem cell banks but provide the information for your convenience.
If you are banking your or your child’s dental stem cells, please let us know in advance of your appointment so we can properly prepare and ensure we have everything needed to preserve the tooth and forward it to the laboratory or storage facility you are using.
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